The Week’s Most Popular Posts: November 30 – December 4, 2015

Jessica Jones is the third female-led superhero TV show to hit the airwaves in our current superhero media glut, and like its sisters in arms Agent Carter and Supergirl, it wears its feminism on its sleeve. But in a cast full of remarkable women, I found one of the most important characters to be…the jerky white dude. No, not Kilgrave.

Jessica Jones, however, does nothing in half-measures. By my last count, the show features seven queer characters: one major (Jeri), two recurring (Wendy Ross-Hogarth, Pam), and four minor (Sissy Garcia, Zack, Justin Beaudoin, and Justin Beaudoin’s unnamed husband).

After finishing the season, I find myself both happy for the quantity of queer representation on the show, but also even more desperate for representation in other MCU properties.

Becoming Unbecoming, by UnaThis graphic novel follows the story twelve-year-old Una against the backdrop of the Ripper murders. As police fail again and again to solve the case, Una finds herself on the receiving end of a series of violent acts for which she feels she is to blame.

I’ve been enjoying the heck out of Steve Orlando’sMidnighter, which is what got me to check out thisShazam one-shot despite neither reading the Darkseid War storyline nor the Justice League series in general. Honestly, you can totally jump into this issue and get caught up with the plot going on fast. I love how Orlando handled Billy and how our young hero’s stubborn teenage ways and focus on doing the right thing get him through this treacherous journey through his own mind (while meeting the new gods that are going to make up his new powers). Kolins’ lineart pairs nicely with not only Billy’s characterization but also the new gods we meet and Fajaro’s colors pull it all together. It’s just a darn good read.

I want to re-emphasize that I do want the story to be good, so I’m not just nitpicking for the fun of it. I, like any person with a deep understanding of a particular topic, am used to these kinds misconceptions regarding the criminal justice system by non-attorneys in the entertainment business, but Charles Soule brings the cred of an attorney-writer. Most actual assistant district attorneys would not make statements like this – at least not publicly. Charles Soule should know better. Let’s hope Matt Murdock does.